


Schedule

by Daniscats, Joking611



Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-31
Updated: 2018-12-31
Packaged: 2019-09-30 20:35:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,393
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17230787
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daniscats/pseuds/Daniscats, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Joking611/pseuds/Joking611
Summary: When Shepard enters into a relationship with both Liara and Garrus, she doesn't quite realize what she is getting herself into.





	Schedule

**Author's Note:**

  * For [amuk](https://archiveofourown.org/users/amuk/gifts).



> Happy holidays! Have an incredible new year!

The mess was quiet. The only sounds came from the sole occupants, seated at one of the tables. Liara  and  Garrus were engaged in muted conversation as they passed datapads back and forth from the pile between them. 

Although both were cordial, there was an undercurrent of competition in their conversation, suggesting that this was no mere discussion, but a negotiation. Finally, Liara  picked up one of the datapads  in frustration, and held it in front of Garrus’ face.  

“Do you see this, Garrus?”  Liara  asked as she pushed the  datapad  closer to his eyes, forcing the turian to pull back so he could focus. “It is as I suspected.  **You**  had Shepard for almost the entire leave during our last docking on the Citadel. This time, it is my turn.”  

“But there’s a tournament at the Armax Arena!”  Garrus  objected. “We were both looking forward to it.” 

Liara’s gaze displayed no sympathy as she continued to hold the pad in place. 

“I’ll tell you what,” he continued as he plucked the pad from her grasp, placing it with others on the table.  “Just let me have her tomorrow night. Just the one night, and you can have her the rest of the time that we’re docked. That’s over two full days!” 

“Two Galactic Standard days,” she noted. “Barely a day and a half on Thessia.” 

"We’re not  **ON**  Thessia,” he argued. 

Liara sighed in acquiescence. “I know, Garrus. It is just that whenever she engages in combat, either real or simulated, she returns so bruised, sore, and exhausted that she is of no use to me for at least a day.”  Liara  shook her head thinking about the last illustration of that fact. “Still, we cannot be selfish. Our priority should be to make sure that she remains physically and mentally healthy to be  prepared  for the task ahead. And I  don’t see how going to fight a make-believe war is going to distract her from the real War, and all the real pressure she is under.” 

“But that’s the point! She loves it because it is make-believe.”  Garrus  responded. “You know how excited she gets. She forgets about all the demands on her shoulders and totally gets lost in the moment.” 

“Fine," Liara  sighed again. “I concede your point. Take her to the tournament. Make sure she has fun.” She locked eyes with the turian. “But you absolutely have to make sure that she doesn’t break anything this time. No lacerations. No bruising. Pay for the medical exoskeleton upgrade if you have to. And I get her the entire rest of the time that we are docked.” She waited for his nod. “So, we’re agreed?”   

"You drive a hard bargain  T’Soni, but I agree.”  Garrus  smiled. “What are you going be doing with her anyway?” 

“If she is still sufficiently able to walk,”  Liara  glared at  Garrus  in warning, “we  will be  attending the new exhibit on the  Rachni  War at the Galactic History Museum on the Presidium.”   

"Spirits, that sounds boring. Are you  sure  I shouldn’t take her  again the day after that? Just to save her from the monotony?” 

“Do you want me to hurt you,  Vakarian?”   

“Maybe?”  Garrus  said, his  mandibles  twitching as he said it.  

"You’re incorrigible. It’s probably the only reason Shepard likes you.”  Liara  smiled. “I will have you know that there is another side to our human. A side that you seldom have occasion to see. There is a budding scholar hiding under all that armor and barely-healed scars.” 

“Then it’s a good thing you’re available. I will never understand why anyone would want to go learn more about a past war when there’s one going on right outside everyone’s window. How can that possibly be good for Shepard’s mental health?”  

“Because we won that war, Garrus. The galaxy was facing a threat so dire that most predicted that it would destroy galactic civilization. But it didn’t. They survived. They survived and then thrived after that war.  It  will be good for Shepard to see it. To experience it through this immersive exhibit rather than just reading about it.” 

“Hmmm. Makes sense I suppose. Still, no matter how bad the  rachni  were, they have nothing on the reapers.” 

“True. But the people then were just as afraid, just as hopeless.”   

“You’re probably right,” he concluded. “Now, back to Shepard. What about after we leave the Citadel? I know you have a lot of work to do, but we have to make sure that she doesn’t spend too much time alone. She’ll just work herself to exhaustion and you know how she gets all depressed and anxious if she has too much time to think.” 

“I know.” Liara  slid another datapad across the table to Garrus. “Which is why I have prepared this schedule for the next few weeks. It includes both joint activities and group activities. Following this schedule will keep her occupied, as well as make sure she gets enough rest, play time, and exercise. 

“You’ve already decided who she sleeps with each night? That’s no fun! What about spontaneity?” 

“It’s not as important as her getting enough sleep,” she argued. “It will reduce stress for her if we have an agreed upon sleep schedule, so she knows in advance where she will be spending each night, as well as with whom.” 

“Dr. T’Soni is correct,” EDI chose that moment to chime in. “Shepard often exhibits symptoms of anxiety if she believes that she is disappointing one or both of you.” 

“Not now, EDI,” Liara directed her response to the overhead speaker, EDI’s body not currently in view. “This is a private conversation.” 

“No way, T’Soni,"  Garrus  exclaimed after  examining  the pad for a few moments. “You get way more nights than I do!” 

“That’s because I have more work to complete than you do,” Liara reasoned. “‘Calibrations’ only take so long. You have more time available to spend with her during the day, so it makes sense that I get her more often at night.” 

“I have plenty of work to do just coordinating with  the hierarchy. And don’t use ‘monitoring your feeds’ as an excuse! Everyone knows that you just don’t like to sleep alone.” 

“ _You_  know that, because of the nature of our relationship. However, this should not be about what we want,  Garrus, but about what’s best for Shepard. Sleeping most nights with me just makes more sense. Not to mention, it is safer for Shepard, so she doesn’t continue to get lacerations...” 

“That is an incredibly  speciest  thing for you to say, T’Soni. I’ll have you know that we figured all that out long ago. She loves sleeping with her bird! And her bird knows just what to do to get her to sleep like a rock.”  

“I could get her to sleep for a week if she didn’t have so many responsibilities.”  Liara  smirked and raised one eyebrow marking in challenge. “Twenty-seven.” 

“Twenty-seven what?” Garrus said and then sputtered. “Twenty-seven....no way! In a row? You’re completely lying,  T’Soni. Not that my number isn’t higher!”  

“Remember, it’s all about the mind and asari  are able to provide a more complete, satisfying experience.”  Liara’s  already smug look only intensified.  

“There’s no way you could know that! If she told you that, she was just lying to make you feel better!”   

“You forget about the meld. I know because I experience each one with her. And I can count.”  

It was at that point that Shepard rounded the corner coming from the elevator. She smiled as she approached the pair. 

“Hey guys.  Whatcha  doing?”   

“Nothing important, Shepard," Garrus  responded first. “What  are  you up to today?” 

“Paperwork,” answered Shepard. “Mountains of paperwork. I have no idea what the Alliance does with all these reports or of anyone ever even looks at them. It doesn’t matter. Until we dock at the Citadel and get those repairs done, everything else is on hold anyway.  We can’t even think about tackling even the smaller missions we have on our ‘to do’ list.” She paused, looking at the pair suspiciously. “Seriously, now. What are you two doing?” 

“It is of no concern, Shepard," Liara  answered. “Just some logistics for a common project we have.”  

“A common project? What kind of project?” Shepard asked suspiciously.   

"Like  Liara  said, it’s  not  anything  that you need to worry about,” replied Garrus   

Shepard leaned forward between the two and plucked one of the pads up off of the table.   

“Which just makes me want to know what it is even more,” she grumbled. Shepard scanned the pad in her hands. “What the...what is this?!” 

“A schedule,”  Liara  said innocently. “I would think it would be obvious.” 

“A schedule of what?” Shepard scanned the pad in her hand until an outraged look appeared on her face. “Or should I say, a schedule for who? This is a schedule for me! A schedule  _of_  me! You two are planning every minute of downtime I have!” 

“Not every minute Shepard, but most,” Liara agreed. The asari then stood, and gently slid the  datapad  from Shepard’s hand. “Now, if you don’t mind, Garrus and I really need to get this done. I can’t be away from my feeds for too long.” 

Shepard snatched her hand back like she’d been bitten. “Are the two of you insane? I’m a grown adult! I very much do mind!  I’m a Commander in the Alliance, a  Spectre, and my team is the tip of the spear in the war against the reapers.  What gives you two the right to dictate what I do, when and with whom?” 

“You did,” responded  Garrus casually. “Specifically, when you started a relationship with each of us, and then told us that you wanted us both  when we confronted you about it. I think it’s actually worked out better than you had any right to expect it to.” 

“I can provide a recording of that conversation if you wish, Shepard.” EDI’s voice floated into the room. 

“No!” Answered Liara and Garrus simultaneously. 

Liara cast angry eyes upward before she continued. “And I agree with Garrus, as much as it might pain me to admit it. With all my Shadow Broker duties, it was becoming a challenge trying to take care of you by myself. Having someone else to rely on has made it much easier for me, and better for you.” 

“More satisfying for her you mean,” added Garrus with a twitch of his mandibles. 

“I can take care of myself!” Shepard hissed. “And I apologize for being such a burden!” 

“No burden, Shepard. Or at least it is a burden that we both very much enjoy.”  Garrus  returned his attention back to  Liara. “Now, about that night schedule. We really need to hammer this out now.”

“Yes, we do," Liara  continued, joining Garrus in ignoring the incredulous Shepard. “Now how about you take these nights right here?”  Liara  showed  Garrus  the pad.

“Negative on that night.”  Garrus  pointed a claw at the pad. “That’s right after we’re scheduled for that mission to  Noveria. You know how she gets all moody and hyper after a mission. And she’ll be cold to boot. She hates that. I’ll have to spend half the night calming her down before I can get any sleep. And not in the fun way either. And since I’m scheduled to go on that mission...”

“I’m standing right here!” 

“Right,"  Liara  answered, nodding her head. “I’ll take her that night. I can usually get her to calm down a little quicker with a meld, and I’ll make sure her cabin has been warmed before her return.”

“And I want Shepard to stay with me tonight.”  Garrus’  eyes twinkled as he said it. 

“Unacceptable," Liara  responded shortly. “I need Shepard with me tonight.”

“Excuse me, but again, don’t I get a say in all this?," Shepard asked with more than a little annoyance still in her voice. “I’m not a toy to be passed back and forth!”

“Well,  Liara, we could both keep Shepard company tonight.”  Garrus  said, his voice low and deep. 

“I am not prepared for that again,"  Liara  responded flatly. “I still have a scar from the last time we tried that. I was wounded simply from moving my leg without thinking first.”  

"It’s not my fault that I’m a  turian  and we aren’t soft and smooth like a human or an  asari,”  Garrus  objected. “So  very soft and smooth and lovely...”

“Oh,  come on,  Liara. Asari take turian partners all the time.” Shepard said with a grin on her face for the first time. “It’s all about technique, and practice makes perfect!”

“There is a great deal of literature on the subject, Dr. T’Soni,” added EDI. “If you would like, I could send a selection to your omni-tool.”  

“That won’t be necessary EDI, thank you.”  

Liara turned her attention back to Garrus and Shepard, each regarding her as if she were a particularly enticing plaything. “I might be amenable to that idea if  Garrus will sign off on the rest of the schedule?” 

“Absolutely.” 

“Excellent. Now if you’ll excuse me, Glyph has been signaling me for the last ten minutes.” She collected her datapads and made her way to the XO’s office, the hatch hissing shut behind her. 

“I don’t believe it,” muttered Shepard. 

“See Shepard?” Asked Garrus. “I told you I could get her to say yes.” 

“Yes you did, but what about every night?” 

“Working on it. It would go a lot easier if you do as you’re told and follow your schedule without complaint.”  

“Garrus, I will not be scheduled like a child!”  

“Oh, I think you will.”  

Liara was back in her office, checking her feeds, when Edi’s voice broke her concentration.  

“Liara, you were not entirely honest with Garrus and Shepard.”  

“Edi, there is a serious flaw in your understanding of the concept of ‘privacy’. That was a private conversation. When a member of the crew says that a conversation is meant to be ‘private’, then you STOP listening.”  

“I will study the concept further and adjust my behavior accordingly but it does not change the fact that you had planned to spend the Normandy’s nocturnal cycle with both Garrus and Shepard before the negotiations even began.”  

“You don’t know that, Edi. You just suspect it. Now, privacy please!”  


End file.
